The HouseGuest
by The Liquid Moon
Summary: Alternate Universe Kai x Takao Rei x Takao Hiro x Brooklyn After Kai returns in his life once again, Takao realizes that he had never truly forgotten him after their breakup three years ago. However, Kai is adamant – he has no feelings for Takao.


**The House Guest**

Disclaimer: All the recognizable characters and the Beyblade universe used in this fanfiction belong to Takao Aoki. No infringement intended.

Summary: (Alternate Universe) (Kai x Takao) (Rei x Takao) (Hiro x Brooklyn) After Kai returns in his life once again, Takao realizes that he had never truly forgotten him after their break-up three years ago. However, Kai is adamant – he has no feelings for Kai.

**Chapter 1**

For the first time in quite a long while, Kinomiya Takao did not wake up to the annoying ringing of the alarm clock. The sun was high in the sky when he got out of the bed and threw open the windows. Although it was pretty hot – not the warm pre-summer hot but sweltering mid-summer energy-dampening hot, it didn't spoil his mood at all.

"Wow! I can't believe I own the place – for full five years, no less... Ha! Ha!"

Nineteen-year-old Takao was a rounin student. He had been disappointed when he couldn't make it to the college, but his older brother with whom he lived, had been positively devastated. Kinomiya Hitoshi had, since then, been overly careful and anxious when it came to his younger brother. Takao felt suffocated by his care and things had gotten to be more than slightly rough between them.

A month ago, Hiro had been informed that he would have to undertake a five-year training tour. Takao saw this as a blessing. It wasn't that he disliked his brother. But if matters continued to grow worse between them, Takao was sure that he would walk out of the house one day. They had to admit that things were going terribly between them and some time apart was the only solution if they did not want to end up hating each other for life.

Last night, Hiro had left for England. The apartment had felt strange without him and Takao had gone to bed quite early.

But today was a whole new day – it was bound to be nice, too... after all, he hadn't woken up to Hiro yelling at him. He was going to prove to Hiro that he could manage things well enough on his own. He could do much better without the constant pestering Hiro continuously subjected him to.

He would begin with a long bath – with music and junk food. Hiro always seemed to think it was weird to eat in the bath and Takao could only comply bitterly. It was going to be different now, though. Yea, he was going to do all the things that he had wanted to do – after all, he was the sole occupant now and he wasn't going to let Hiro's ways rule his life.

When he reached the bathroom though, the door won't open. It was a one-way lock that could only be locked from the inside. Takao frowned. Had Hiro really gone last night or was it only his imagination?

He tried to turn the lock again, and then attempted to kick the door open but to no avail.

"Hiro? Are you in there? Hiro?"

A few frustrated minutes later, the door opened.

"What is it? Can't a person bathe in peace in here?"

Takao gaped at the man standing only in a towel before him.

"K... K-Kai?"

"I think I know my own name. Now get out of my way, will you?"

The dual-haired boy pushed him aside and moved towards the guest-room. Takao snapped out of his stupor.

"Kai! Wait! What the hell are you doing here? Kai! Kai! Answer me! Ka... Oomph!" Takao stepped back as the Kai closed the door in his face.

He was about to admit defeat when the door opened a bit.

"Don't you dare touch my breakfast! If you want some, cook your own."

Takao glared at the closed door before heading towards the kitchen. What the fuck? How dare that bastard order him around in his own house? What the bloody hell was he doing in his house, anyway? Who gave him the house-key? Takao was damn sure that he had taken it back from him. Hiro? Had Hiro given it to him? Why would Hiro do anything like that, anyway?

He glared at the oven, his appetite suddenly lost.

This day wasn't supposed to begin like this. What the hell was happening? He was supposed to be having the time of his life today. But now that Kai was here...

The person dominating his thoughts walked in just at that moment. His hair was still wet from the bath. Takao absently noticed that Kai wore them much longer than he last remembered. As memories pushed their way out of their hidden corners, a slight blush reddened Takao's cheeks. He turned towards the refrigerator to hide his embarrassment. Honestly, what was he thinking? Kai was a heartless bastard – and nothing more. It was high time he forgot all about him.

_How can I? If he parades around my apartment without a shirt and with that wet hair falling into his eyes..._

_Stop thinking like that already!_

_Yeah, yeah... right. Kai's history – a long gone regrettable past. _

There were only a bunch of fruits and vegetables in the fridge – not even an egg! Hiro was the one who took care of the groceries. He'd been busy all last week and hadn't had the time for that job. Takao sighed. Why didn't things ever turn out as he planned them?

He turned back only when he heard the sounds from the TV. From the window between the kitchen and the sitting room, he could see Kai lounging in the couch in front of the TV.

_That's my couch, you bastard! Go and sit on the chair!_

He rubbed the lingering sleep out of his eyes and decided to take a quick shower. He was hoping to skip the prep class just in today's fun spirit but if Kai was going to be around the house, all he wanted was to get out of here. He'd have to hurry now. It was just half an hour for the class.

"Takao? Hey there! What are you doing here? I thought I was to pick you up at eight tonight!"

"Can I have a drink? The class seemed extra-tough today."

"Class? Weren't you going to bunk it?"

Takao slumped on the table with a groan and incoherent mumbling.

Rei Kon went over to the bar-owner and after exchanging a few words with him, took off his apron and came over to where Takao sat.

"Come on – let's go out for a bit."

"You didn't get my drink," whined Takao.

"You don't need to get drunk this early in the evening. Want to come over to my place?"

Takao glanced at his watch. "Your shift isn't over yet."

"Well, no, but its okay. Eiji isn't going to be here tonight, so I told boss I'll do his shift if he'd let me leave now. After all, karaoke bars are busiest during the night, né? You seem to need me more right now."

Takao smiled at him. "I love you," he whispered as he stood up.

Rei briefly caught his hand in his own. "I love you, too and currently, I am just a bit worried about why you are saying it in such a weary tone."

"Huh?"

"Never mind... let's go."

"_Kai Hiwatari_? But why?"

"I don't know – but it's just something that Hiro would do," said Takao sullenly as he lay with his head on Rei's lap.

"Wow! You never told me you knew Hiwatari-san! He's like... a multi-millionaire or something... and he was one of the Blitzkrieg Boys! He was an awesome Beyblader! And such a successful businessman at this young an age! And..."

"You're not getting _the point_, Rei!" yelled Takao, sitting up. "I don't know why he's boarded up in my house! I want him out of it!"

Rei sensed that Takao was in one of his 'moods'. Generally cheerful and in high spirits, Takao could get really awful if one of his 'moods' set in and got out of control. "Did you ask him why he is there?" he asked carefully.

Takao fidgeted with his half-empty can of beer. "Ano... he... he didn't tell me."

Rei stared incredulously at him before bursting out laughing. "If it wasn't for your nasty expression, I'd think it was all one big joke, ha, ha, ha!"

"I am not joking – and you are supposed to be HELPING ME! NOT LAUGHING AT ME!" shouted Takao, vexed and embarrassed.

"Gomen, gomen!" Rei held out the last piece of pizza (which they had bought on their way to Rei's house) as a peace-offering. "Here, eat and be happy."

Takao rolled his eyes but quickly took the piece – he was never the one to pass delicious food – especially when it came to him of its own accord.

"You should go back home and put your foot down firmly – it is your house now, not a charity-house."

"You don't know Kai," said Takao petulantly. "He's… he's… if he doesn't want to explain himself, he won't. And most of the time he's this morose sort of guy who never talks."

Rei looked at him thoughtfully. "Are you scared of him?"

"Don't talk nonsense, Rei. Why'd I be scared of him?"

"I wonder."

"Don't talk nonsense."

"In any case, if it bothers you so much, threaten him with the police."

Takao ignored the hint of mirth in Rei's voice.

"What if Hiro's allowed him? It would just be like something Hiro would do – find himself a substitute because he doesn't trust me. And when it comes down to bare facts, it isn't my house, you know. I don't know why in the world I ever came up here to live with Hiro. Tokyo isn't that good of a place, anyway."

"You've got to do something about it if it bothers you so much."

Takao took in a large gulp of the drink. Bothers you so much… bother him? Did having Kai around bother him the way it should bother him? The way Rei thought it bothered him? Rei didn't know anything… he had never told anyone about Kai. Moreover, he had always been so sure that Kai was a past to be forgotten, that he had never felt any need to share that fact with anyone. What would come out of it, anyway? It wasn't as if anyone was going to believe that he had once shared a passionate relationship with _the_ 'Kai Hiwatari' of Hiwatari Corp. – the icon of business world, one of the most powerful men in multinational business.

It was just Rei's nature not to 'freak out' when he had told him that the same man had suddenly boarded up at his house. Rei sat here laughing at the whole situation. Okay, so some part of it was probably comedic, but Takao seriously felt that the joke was on him. As such, his desire to laugh was really in the negative.

He was pulled out of his musings as he felt Rei's foot inch up the side of his legs.

"You can stay the night here – I can make you forget your troubles, all right."

He had heard that invitation many times before. They only had sex in Rei's apartment – their relationship was a secret – but Takao had never actually 'stayed the night' although Rei had repeatedly invited him to. He knew – and Rei knew, too – that it wasn't because of the fact that it would be hard to explain to Hiro where he had been all night. No, Takao had never felt ready to define their relationship as a serious commitment.

Rei put it down to his 'sensitive circumstances' – that unless Takao had 'achieved' something, he would not feel comfortable in a relationship. That was how it had been with Rei. His playboy image among his peers was not due to any 'uncontrollable libido' but solely because of his insecurities and frustrations. It wasn't until he had settled with a part-time job at a bar and a freelance writer that he had felt 'comfortable' with himself and been able to separate himself from his baser ways.

Takao, on the other hand, was actually wondering if he had been refusing Rei because he hadn't been able to get over Kai. The very thought mortified him. Kai had obviously forgotten his existence if he could move about with such nonchalance in his house.

Hence, Rei, who had been expecting, yet another refusal, was pleasantly surprised when Takao said, "Yeah, maybe I think I will."

Rei lost no time in showing exactly how much those words had pleased him.

Takao returned his passion with an equal fervour, determined to convince himself that he had gotten over Kai.

"Where have you been?"

Takao took off his shoes and put on the slippers, ignoring the question and the person asking the question effectively. He had resolved to put up with Kai – it was obviously Hiro's doing. Kai was welcome to stay there as long as he wanted; Takao was determined not to be affected by it in any manner. He moved towards the kitchen, ready to gobble down raw vegetables if there was nothing to eat. But first, he really needed some water.

"Takao."

Even he was proud of himself right now. If Kai was using that tone, then Takao was obviously getting on his nerves. But why was he addressing him as _Takao_ now? Just out of habit, he supposed…

"Not that it is any of my business, but your brother called. In case you are wondering, which I doubt you are, he has decided to stop at China for a while and so the trip was cut short. He called thence."

"It really isn't any of your business," said Takao, suddenly, his control snapping. He didn't care if he was breaking his resolve of handling Kai emotionlessly. For God's sake! This man had treated him like shit all that time ago and he wasn't going to take anymore crap from him!

"So you can fuck off! I don't know why you are here! Like hell, I care! Do what you want – just stay away from me!"

Kai looked genuinely startled.

"Just leave me alone," said Takao, banging down the water-bottle on the kitchen-table. "Just get lost, you hear me? Get lost!"

He rushed past Kai without looking at him.

It was impossible. He couldn't come within a foot of that guy without his control snapping like yellowed twigs. He couldn't handle this sensibly and like a 'grown-up'. All he wanted was to forget him and move on. Why was that so hard? Why?

It hurt him to think that Kai had 'moved on' that easily while he was still left with bitterness in some part of his heart. It hurt him to think that he could so easily get worked up over Kai while the latter was seemingly above all such emotion. It had hurt horribly when Kai had announced out of blue that morning that he was going back to Russia and he had no intention of following up any relationship with him – that he had never had any relationship with him, as such anyway. It hurt even more to know that Kai had meant every word of it.

For the past three years, Takao had not heard a word from Kai. Kai had remained in Russia. There were occasionally reports of some important and strategic deals Hiwatari Corp. had made. But the President himself was never directly involved in anything – he remained in his native country.

Takao would imagine that Kai had some reasons he couldn't bring himself about to explain and had hence, broken up in that terrible manner. He had forgiven Kai in his heart, feeling that Kai must be regretting his words – that he was guilty and his heart ached as badly as Takao's.

Everything was alright until Kai had returned yesterday.

Takao's hopes – for he had always hoped in secret recesses of his heart – had been completely shattered with Kai's indifference. Kai did not regret what he had done. Kai had forgotten everything that had been there between them. Kai had moved on.

And he, Takao, was still left in a shell of memories, hoping.

It made him guilty to think that he had deceived Rei in his mind. Did Rei ever guess that a different person still had Takao's heart? Did Rei ever imagine that one word from Kai Hiwatari, and Takao would have dropped everything, left everything to be with him?

No, Rei wasn't like that. Rei's love for him was something so strong and pure – and unconditional, that Takao felt oppressed by the resulting guilt.

But he had borne it all. He needed Rei. It wasn't at all like he needed Kai. Rei was… Rei was his anchor to reality – an anchor to all things fun and liveable. Rei was an eternal friend.

Kai… Kai was someone Takao simply couldn't imagine life without.

The fact that he had been playing with Rei's feelings hadn't struck him until last night when he had made love to Rei simply because he wanted to get Kai out of his system for good. He had been horribly aware of ever little caress and kiss from Rei, and at the same time, his heart was twisting and turning like never before. Rei had been gentler and more loving than ever. Even so, last night had been awful. Rei's love and kindness only made things worse.

He came back, imagining that everything was put right – well, at least as right as such things could be put, anyway.

He came back, ready to face Kai's indifference and move on.

He was in a state worse than depths of hell when he realized that nothing had changed – he still longed for Kai.

"Not that I mind you being here, Hiro, but are you sure you should be here? You have only been sitting like that since you got here."

Receiving no reply, the orange-headed young man shrugged and turned back to watching the TV.

"I… I shouldn't have run away…"

His companion said nothing, only waited.

"Maybe I put Takao in trouble, I don't know…" Hiro's hand clasped the arm of his chair in a tight grip. "It was so cowardly of me… but… but… I…"

"You're in a mess, all right. But there's nothing you could have done about it. You really couldn't have stayed in Japan any longer if things have gotten as bad as you say they have."

"That was all I could do for Takao… I don't know what's going to happen to him – or me… Brooklyn…"

Brooklyn switched off the TV and turned to face him. "Well, you're here – nothing's going to happen to you. Hiwatari is pretty powerful, I've heard. If he has agreed to help you, then you shouldn't worry very much, Hiro."

Hiro leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"How did things ever come to this?"

"… _please leave your name and message after the beep."_

"Hey, Takao! Where've you been? I've been trying your cell for ages! Are you all right? Do you want to go somewhere together tonight? I'm free. I'll be at home so call me any time, okay? Look, I'm sort of worried and… just call me, okay? So long, then. Don't forget to call as soon as you hear the message!"

Takao turned his head to gaze at the phone on the side-table. The fluorescent digits (which he had stuck over the normal ones) on the phone glowed in the dark room. He soon turned away though. It was as if he was looking at Rei – and couldn't even bear to look at him.

How come Rei hadn't noticed anything? Rei was supposed to be quite good in this sort of stuff, right? Then why had he not noticed anything? Wasn't his guilt as evident outside as it was dominant inside his soul? Weren't eyes supposed to be the mirrors to soul or something? Why did Rei still trust him then?

He could never tell Rei that he would never truly love him… he won't know how to. He won't know what he would say the reason was. He won't know how to phrase his sentences. The only rejection he had known was from Kai and whatever he was going to do – or not do – he wasn't going to treat Rei in that shabby way.

If he faced him, Takao knew that he would blurt out the whole truth. He couldn't contain his feelings anymore. It was all getting too much for him. His mind was a chaos. So much so, that he had been incapable of doing anything but lying listlessly on his bed ever since he had gotten back.

He stared at the phone again, imagining it was Rei.

'Say something,' his mind echoed. 'Say something'.

But he couldn't entice a word out of his mouth except 'I don't love you, Rei.' No, he wasn't going to say anything like that to Rei… no, if breaking up would mean so much pain again…

When he woke up, the curtains were drawn but he could make out that it was yet another morning. Again, he felt no inclination to get out of bed. He had vague memory of getting up to go to the bathroom last night and… and he didn't quite remember anything after washing his hands. He had been awfully dizzy, he recalled. He supposed it was the lack of food, and he had meant to go down to the kitchen to get something to eat afterwards. How had he ended up in bed?

As he lay musing for some time, the door opened noiselessly and Kai came in.

Takao clutched hard at his bed-sheets as Kai came up to his bed and stood very close to his head. He could discern the leather-belt and the linings of his jeans. Takao realized that Kai probably thought that he was asleep. He was putting some things on the table… he only recognized a bowl of fruits. He absently wondered what the other stuff was.

What was going on?

Strangely enough, because he was a born gourmand, the last thing he felt like doing was eating. He rather felt like throwing up but his stomach felt achingly empty. Slowly, he recollected that he had thrown up some time last night… it had made his stomach ache like hell even then… yeah, that was before his trip to the kitchen. Had he even made a trip to the kitchen, anyway?

"Good, you're awake."

Takao raised his eyes to Kai's face. Kai wasn't looking at him, though. He poured in something in a glass from a small bottle and after stirring it a few times, turned towards Takao.

Takao's eyes were fixed on the glass and the hand that held it.

"Why?"

Kai made no reply. He understood that Takao was referring to something very different from the contents of the glass.

"At least tell me," said Takao, wincing slightly as he sat up, "what you are doing here."

He didn't dare look up at Kai. His apathy scared him. It broke something sweet and treasured in his heart and turned the broken pieces into bitter venom. He didn't feel he could bear it.

"Drink it – you'll be better. You've thrown up twice already."

Needing Kai was like breathing, he realized suddenly. He needed Kai – he needed to be important to Kai. He needed Kai's love – even if it was painful and made him unhappy. Their relationship had been passionate but it hadn't lasted. Takao had known that there was something wrong because they were only at peace when they were Beyblading. At other times… there was nothing normal 'relationship-like' about them. But they had loved each other and that had been enough – or so he had thought until Kai had obviously concluded that it wasn't.

He would chance anything… only if he could get to be with Kai again… _Onegai, Kami-sama! All I want is Kai! Nothing more, I ask for nothing more!_

"Takao…"

"DON'T HATE ME!"

Kai stepped back, shocked, as Takao yelled out. "DON'T TELL ME WHY HIRO SENT YOU HERE! DON'T TELL ME ANYTHING! I DON'T CARE WHY YOU WENT AWAY THREE YEARS AGO! BUT DON'T HATE ME NOW! STAY HERE! STAY WITH ME!"

Emotionless, so emotionless… did he really not feel anything?

Takao clutched his outstretched hand and felt it stiffen. "Kai… why are you doing this to me? You can't possibly imagine that everything can be over so easily… that everything there was doesn't matter anymore. How can you forget everything? It's impossible… so impossible!"

"Takao…"

"No, listen to me… you are here again, aren't you? You couldn't have been here if you hated me. You couldn't have been here if the very sight of me repulsed you." Takao had not forgotten his cruel words. "Please, Kai – don't be like this!"

Their eyes met but again, Takao couldn't read anything in them. They were crimson as always – cold and crimson. He couldn't read anything in them. Why? Why had everything changed like this?

"I need you, Kai," he said hollowly, letting go of his hand. "I need you."

Kai stood his gaze with his characteristic coolness, not a word escaping him all through Takao's outburst. However, as the latter fell back on the bed, tightly shutting his eyes to stop the inevitable tears, he finally made up his mind to speak.

"I'm leaving this glass here – you better drink that up. You've got to stop thinking that way, Takao. You've got to let go of the past."

As the door closed behind him, there was the unmistakable sound of glass breaking against the wood.


End file.
